Doc Rivers is torn on impending decision about his future

Doc Rivers arrived at Greehey Arena on Sunday claiming that he remains torn on whether to stay on as coach of the Boston Celtics.

“It’s a tough one,” Rivers said. “I’m not going to take it lightly, obviously.”

Rivers, a former San Antonio resident and a former Spurs player, has led the Celtics to the NBA Finals two of the past three seasons.

The Celtics won the title in 2008 and then recently fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.

His teams have won 66, 62 and 50 games, respectively, the past three years. Despite the success, Rivers said family considerations are in play on whether to return to Boston for a seventh season.

The family is in San Antonio this week to watch Doc’s son, Austin Rivers, play for Team USA in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men.

“I’m not going to get into the whole thing,” Doc Rivers said, “but I have four kids, and two of them are in college. Austin’s in high school, and I have a young one going to be a freshman in high school and I’ve already been gone (in Boston) for six years.

“So, we still have an unbelievable relationship as a family,” he said. “As long as I think that’s intact, then that’ll make it an easier decision. But I want to make sure that’s there. We evaluate that every summer.”

It’s been mentioned that Rivers might reach a decision on his future before the free agent signing period begins on July 1.

But he said Sunday afternoon that, “I’m just going to take my time.”

Rivers said he still loves coaching.

“That’s the toughest part about it,” he said. “If you didn’t like coaching or you were burned out by coaching … I’m not, actually. Over the past year, I’ve been reinvigorated in some ways from the group (in Boston) that I have. That’s what makes it so much more difficult for me.”

Rivers finished his playing career with two years in a Spurs uniform. He played in San Antonio in 1994-95 and ’95-96. Rivers and his family moved to Orlando in 1999 when he became coach of the Orlando Magic.

He coached the Magic for parts of five seasons and then took the Celtics’ job in 2004.